Jhon Arias to Wolves: Colombian winger from Fluminense breaks the mould but he is a rare talent and ready for Europe | Football News

Jhon Arias is an anomaly. He is moving to Europe at the age of 27. That is unusual but it also partly explains why Wolves feel they are picking up a bargain. Arias arrives as “one of the best players in South America,” according to former Brazil boss Fernando Diniz.

The very biggest clubs in Europe are looking for the best teenagers in Brazil, talent that they can turn into the next big thing. But such is the strength of the Brazilian league right now that it means there are others like Arias ready to impress in the here and now.

Undoubtedly, he is a late bloomer. He played in Colombia’s top flight for three different clubs and was almost 24 when he finally left for Brazil in 2021. The 26 Colombians to have featured in the Premier League so far all moved to Europe at a younger age.

But these past four years have not been wasted. Arias has spent them honing his craft at Fluminense, the Copa Libertadores winners of 2023 and more recently Club World Cup semi-finalists in the United States in the summer, surprising European opposition.

Out in America, Arias showed the world what a fine player he has become. Nobody won more player of the match awards. He starred against Dortmund and Inter. He created 18 chances in total at the tournament, 50 per cent more than any other player.

For Wolves, that was a worry as much as a confirmation of his ability, alerting other clubs to Arias’ improvement. There was interest from Saudi Arabia but the player only wanted to test himself in the Premier League – another positive sign for his progression.

Juan Cruz Real, the former head coach of America de Cali, is not surprised to see Arias blossoming. “I have great memories of working with Jhon,” he tells Sky Sports. Together they helped the Colombian club to win the league title in his homeland back in 2020.

“At the time, he was starting to show his potential.” The Argentinian coach remembers “a very dynamic player, powerful and very good technically” but also someone with the right mentality. “He has a great personality too, very humble and just a good person.”

But it was under Diniz at Fluminense that Arias flourished, responding to the unique style of play that the innovative coach favoured. Extreme rotations and a rare level of flexibility saw players pop up all over the pitch with short passes and combinations key.

Arias thrived. Often deployed on the right flank, he is much more than an up-and-down wide player. “In my opinion, he is more of an attacking midfielder than a winger,” says Cruz Real. The Colombian national team have frequently used him more centrally.

From there, he can fire off shots with either foot but also combine with team-mates. It is telling that of the 30 players in last season’s Brasileirao with the best pass completion rate, Arias was the one attack-minded player. He is unusually comfortable in tight areas.

That was a key part of his game in those glorious days under Diniz. He learned to drift inside into those half spaces, to play the game at different rhythms. Arias has the pace to play a transition game but also possesses the close control to break down a defence.

This season, he ranks among the top six in Brazil for chances created and for successful dribbles. Those statistics are helped by having played every minute of Fluminense’s 12 games so far. At the Club World Cup, only the finalists played more minutes than Arias.

Indeed, research from the CIES Observatory late last year showed that Arias ranked second in the world to only Jules Kounde in terms of minutes played for club and country in 2024. Availability is an underrated trait and Arias is incredibly robust.

That robustness was highlighted by his former Fluminense team-mate Marcelo who revealed that Arias was known in the dressing room as ‘the little engine’ because he never stopped. Carlos Queiroz, his former national-team coach, praised his mentality.

All of which will encourage Wolves that he can make the adjustment. The environment within the club should not be a concern with compatriot Yerson Mosquera already at Molineux as well as Arias’ old Fluminense team-mate Andre established in the side.

Wolves did their homework, reaching out to both who only provided positive reports about his character. Arias’ reaction to Fluminense’s semi-final exit to Chelsea, when he was in tears and apologised to the club’s supporters, was seen as further proof of that.

With many Spanish and Portuguese speakers at Wolves, the only challenge will be on the pitch. “I think he will adapt well because of his characteristics,” says Cruz Real. “It is true that he is arriving at 27. But he is at a great age, at the peak of his performance.”

Given the importance of resale value, Wolves know they need younger talent too. But there is plenty of that in Vitor Pereira’s squad, having already invested heavily to bring in another right-sided attacker from Celta Vigo, the 21-year-old prospect Fer Lopez.

The feeling at Wolves is that Arias can compete with Lopez on the right but has the versatility to feature elsewhere, with the possibility of the new signings being paired behind the front man in the 3-4-2-1 shape that Pereira has developed to good effect.

It is a key area given that Wolves have lost Matheus Cunha, while the departure of the creative wing-back Rayan Ait Nouri could put even more onus on the forwards to make things happen. It needs someone ready to hit the ground running rather than a project.

Developing talent remains a priority for Wolves, of course, but so does their Premier League status. With the contracts of the experienced duo of Pablo Sarabia and Nelson Semedo also having expired, Wolves will be relying on Arias to make a swift impact.

But all the indications are that he is ready to do so. Diniz once described it as a “gift” to have found such a player waiting for him at Fluminense. Wolves will now be hoping that acquiring a player of Arias’ ability for less than £20m will be a present for their fans.